


I'm Bad At Life

by thevoiceslockedaway



Category: Falling in Reverse
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-07-28 12:00:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16241186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thevoiceslockedaway/pseuds/thevoiceslockedaway
Summary: Did someone dare to actually beat up the hard ass Ronnie? Who would dare such a thing? And was a girl actually the 1 to save his butt?(Set in July 2017 and forward).





	1. Chapter 1

I had taken a walk after the Falling In Reverse show to try to burn off the adrenaline. I was always pumped after a concert, with way too much excess energy. Not to mention it never hurts for me to get some exercise. I really didn't get any today between rushing after work to the show and the actual show itself where I didn't get that great of a spot. Just hung on the side. I was trying to lose weight, being a bigger girl. Not huge but definitely not someone who would turn a band member's head.

Originally I had tried to just chill in my hotel room, being from a couple hours away I chose not to rush home like I normally did. This was a normal routine. However, after about an hour with the restless energy not dissipating, still clad in my concert attire, I let my feet do the navigating.

Unsurprisingly I ended up by the venue, now dark and uninhabited with the late hour. All the cars gone, employees home to bed after a long day of setting up, dealing with the more rowdy fans, and tearing down/cleaning up. I walked around and to the other side, heading back for the hotel. A few blocks from the venue I stopped to tie my boot lace as I saw it had come loose. I was just straightening back up when I heard a faint groan. I froze. I didn't have any money on me, just my hotel key card and cell phone. But if there was mugger they wouldn't know that. Though my heavy boots would definitely inflict some damage.

I heard it again, coming from the alley a few steps behind me. I turned on the flashlight app on my phone, shining it into the near pitch dark space. I almost gave it up for a lost cause, chalking it up to my dwindling adrenaline and soon to be delirious state of mind. Then I heard something hitting against the dumpster and happened to see the outline of a shoe on the other side. I cautiously made my way over (yes I was aware this was how horror movies started), ready to come out fighting if this was a trap. The light slowly traveled up ripped, black, skinny pants to a very familiar striped shirt I had just seen a few hours ago, drenched in sweat, onstage; finally landing on dark hair fading into blond.

"Ronnie?!" I gasped in shock, running to kneel by him. His lip was split open with blood still trickling, one of his eyes was going to have one hell of a nasty shiner in the morning, along with a splitting headache; his shirt was somewhat torn off his one shoulder, like someone had grabbed him forcefully. I didn't know what other injuries he could have, but I couldn't leave him.

I was afraid to touch him, not wanting to cause him more pain than he most likely was already in. "Ronnie? Are you conscious at all?" I said, lightly touching his arm.

One eye, the one without the on coming shiner, cracked open. "Get that damn light out of my face!" he rasped, throwing an arm up to shield his face, then promptly moaning in pain, lowering it back down beside him.

"Oh crap, sorry." I set my phone down on my leg with the light still on, since there was nothing but a slight moon shining into the alley. '"I was so shocked I totally forgot I was holding it." I paused, looking him over, him seeming to do the same with his one good eye. "I don't suppose you know what happened or who did it?"

I was expecting an asshole retort to my dumb question, but I had to ask anyway.

Surprisingly, he just gingerly shook his head. "No, I got jumped behind the venue when I went out for some fresh air. It was fucking hot on that stage tonight. I felt like I was suffocating."

"Behind the venue? Ronnie, you're like 4 blocks from there."

He jerked his head up, wincing at the sudden movement,"How the fuck did I get here?"

"I don't know. I was just going for a walk and heard you groan. Someone must've dragged you here." I paused, then silently berated myself for not thinking more clearly. "Anyway, I think I better call an ambulance to come take care of you." I started to unlock my phone, when his hand grabbed my wrist.

"No," he said forcefully.

"But dude seriously, you could have broken ribs for all we know. You need professional help."

He smirked,"I'm not denying that, but not for this. This will get everywhere if I go to the ER. " His hand dropped back to his lap.

I put my hands on my hips, phone still in one hand,"You're seriously gonna be an arrogant dick and not bruise your pride?"

His mouth opened and closed once, in surprise I guess, at my question. Then he grinned,"I guess so. I can't have people thinking anyone can get the jump on me. Just help me back to the venue. I'm sure the guys are wondering where I am." He started trying to get up.

I quickly moved on the other side of him and gently pushed him back down. It was a testament to his current weakness, that he just slumped back down. "Dude, it's past 2 in the morning. I was by the venue a few minutes before I found you. No one was there. Your tour bus was gone, all the cars were."

"Well fuck. When I walked outside it was about 11:30."

"Damn, I'm surprised people weren't still there searching for you."

"Unless the guys think I found a chick to f..uh have some fun with." He glanced at me.

"Why Ronnie, are you trying not to hurt my delicate sensibilities?" I teased.

"You seem like a nice girl."

"Innocent you mean?"

He looked away, I laughed. "Damn dude, I'm 30. I know about the birds and bees, seriously." I raised an eyebrow.

"You look like you're maybe 23 tops."

"Says the guy who is relying on a flashlight on a phone, but thanks for the compliment. How about calling someone?"

His hand shuffled in his pocket and came out with his phone. "Fuck!"

I shined the light on it to see the phone was completely broken, wouldn't even turn on. "Well fuck indeed. Do you want to call on my phone?"

He gingerly rubbed his head,"Offhand I don't know any numbers. I never really needed to." He looked embarrassed.

"Eh, don't feel bad, me either. Anyway, since you don't want to go to the hospital and I have no way of finding anyone at this moment to help. Plus I can't leave you here, I'm gonna have to see if I can help you back to my hotel. It's just a couple blocks if you think you can try to walk with leaning on me."

He ran a hand through his already messed up hair and sighed,"Are you sure you're ok with that?"

 

"It's really you who should be weighing the options. I could be a psycho," I replied with a straight face.

"Can't be worse than me!" he started hefting himself to his feet again.

I slid my shoulder under his arm and my arm around his back. I braced myself and helped lift him. Just that movement left a new line of sweat running down his face.

"Fuck!" he wiped it away."This is gonna suck."

"Yep, now come on tough guy." I tried to be strong for him. On the inside I had no idea how we were making it a couple blocks.

* * *

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Slow and steady apparently. He had to rest multiple times and I seriously believed he made it on sheer stubbornness. I was silently thanking God and any higher power listening, that walking in the side door, after swiping my key card, we bypassed the front desk to the elevators. I had no idea how I would've explained his condition and why he wasn't at the hospital.

I eased him on the bed. "Ok give me a minute," I said grabbing the bucket they supplied in the room,"I'm gonna grab some ice, be right back. Try not to move if you can help it."

He nodded in pain and I slipped out the door. When I returned, he had rearranged himself on the bed, in what I assumed was a more comfortable position for him.

I raised an eyebrow, but didn't jab at him about it. Grabbing a hand towel from the bathroom and wetting a washcloth, I rolled the ice in the towel and handed it to him. "Hold this to your eye. You're gonna have one hell of a headache if you don't already."

"So it's as bad as it feels eh?" he tried to smirk and grimaced.

"Pretty much."

Kicking my shoes off, I knelt on the bed, trying not to jostle him too much and cleaned his lip that was now smeared with dried blood. It was pretty nasty, split open. Someone had got a good hit in. I tried to be gentle but even though he tried to stay still through my ministrations, he flinched a couple times.

I had noticed through me playing nurse on his face, that he was holding himself stiff, his ribs must be hurting. His shirt was halfway torn off as it was and I was concerned what other injuries he had sustained that were hidden.

"Ok, so look we might as well take a look at the rest of you to see what other damage is done," I said leaning back after I was finished with his lip,"so off with the shirt."

"Nah, it's ok. I'm good."

"Do I have to do it myself?" I put my hands on my hips, trying to look intimidating. I wasn't no shrinking violet, but next to him there really was no competition who looked tougher. Especially with his current condition, he looked it even more so.

He sighed and leaned forward enough for me to slide the shirt up over his back and off his arms. I gasped as soon as he leaned back against the pillows.

"I knew you just wanted to see me without my shirt," he teased.

"No, Ronnie look."

He glanced down, then did a double take. "Holy shit. No wonder I can barely move."

His chest and abdomen were covered in bruises and cuts. I suspected he did have a broken or bruised rib or two. I sighed and carefully crawled off the bed to rinse the washcloth out. Ronnie suffered through the rest of my playing nurse for him in silence. I could feel his eyes on me while I tried to concentrate on patching him up the best I could and not let it cross my mind I was touching his bare chest - a guy I fantasized about a lot. Pictures and video really didn't do him justice. . Even for the show I'd finally caught, I wasn't near the stage so he was still from afar. For all this, my hands were surprisingly steady and I didn't show it outwardly how shaken up I was by this whole situation. What could've possibly caused this to happen to him and me to be the one to stumble across him? Questions for the universe.

I leaned back with the soiled cloth in my hand,"I wish I had something to bind your middle. I guarantee your ribs took some hits and I remember reading to bind them. But I don't have anything." I frowned.

He wiped a layer of sweat off his head,"It's ok. I appreciate what you did. At least it's all clean, shouldn't get infected."

I nodded, then once again returned to the bathroom to rinse the washcloth out. This time I left it lay on the tub and grabbed a clean one, wetting that. I went to refresh the ice again in the towel for his eye, but he slightly shook his head. "It's fine. I think that's enough of that." I took it from his hand and laid it on the bedside table. Then I leaned over him and lightly wiped is face down, getting rid of the sweat that had collected through me treating him - an outward manifestation of his pain.

His face was unreadable. I wondered what he thought of me and all this. Had to have been quite a shock waking up like that and a strange girl now helping him.

I turned my phone on and started flipping through some pages.

After a few minutes,"Girls and their phones. Can't stay away from them."

"Oh grumble, grumble. I'm messaging some of your media pages and band members' pages. Maybe someone will see it and reply."

"Oh..that's smart."

"I'd offer you to sign into your stuff on my phone, but I doubt you trust me enough. So this was my next option."

There was a silence to that declaration, then.."So what is my savior's name anyway?"

I looked up and unintentionally made eye contact as he was staring at me intently. "Oh sorry, I'm Lynn."

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**_*Ronnie*_ **

"Oh sorry, I'm Lynn."

I couldn't figure this girl out, she knew who I was so she had to have been a fan, but wasn't freaking out. Hell even at the sight of all the blood and injuries she was calm and collected. I wondered what was going on inside her mind. Any other chick would've been all over me, wouldn't have even realized how much pain I was in. She seemed to sense it, being careful when touching me. I studied her when she wasn't looking as she tried to patch me up. She was nowhere near my type physically, but she seemed sane and intelligent. I also found myself smiling at her quick retorts. It was lucky she had found me. I woke up in the dark - cold and in a hell of a lot of pain.

It was agony getting to her hotel, but there was no way I was going to a hospital here. I needed to find out who had done this to me. I didn't need rumors spreading when I had no answers. My memory was completely blacked out from the time I stepped outside after the show until I woke up in that alley. Someone had to have come at me from behind.

I was exhausted, watching her from under my eyelashes. She was trying to contact one of our pages, hoping someone would open her message somewhere. I couldn't remember anyone's numbers. I never needed to with them being saved in my phone and she was right, I didn't want to take the chance of signing into her phone with one of my accounts. She seemed ok but I didn't know her. I suppose I could've just changed my password afterwards, but I didn't know how tech savvy she was and if she could still find a way. I didn't think she would, but again, who knew? I had learned to be wary of even friends, let alone strange girls.

After about a half hour of her flipping around on her phone, she sighed and stood up. She plugged it into the charger on the stand next to the bed. I could see the circles under her eyes, she was beyond ready to pass out. I felt like a dick then, I was in her bed and she was trying to make sure I was comfortable.

"Come on,"I said as I patted the space next to me,"You're going to fall over and there's plenty of room here."

"I..um..ok." she was going to resist but I guess her exhaustion won out.

She pulled the covers out from under my legs carefully and back to the foot of the bed. Then she climbed in and pulled the blankets up over us, with a big space between us where she was on the end of the bed.

Ignoring the pain, I leaned over and pulled her nearer to me by putting my arm around her shoulders. She could've refused to move, but I guess looking as I did at the moment, she didn't want to take the chance of hurting me. I could see the concern cross her face. So she allowed herself to be pulled.

I swallowed back a grimace and smiled instead. "There, that's better. This is your bed, I'm the intruder,"I joked.

She laughed softly, no energy left to do more, and leaned back against the pillows. I didn't move my arm, even though my body was protesting the position. I felt drawn to her, there was some kind of aura she had. I slid down a bit, so I was also laying on the pillows. I could feel her try to discretely move away from my arm, but I wouldn't budge.

"So I guess we wait and see if anyone answers," she said and then promptly yawned.

"Yep, looks like it. I'm sorry to put you out like this."

She smiled sleepily,"Eh, it's ok. Here it was a boring night after the show and I was wishing for excitement. Looks like I got it."

That made me chuckle. "Yeah I guess a half naked Ronnie is excitement huh?"

She raised her eyebrow,"You think you're all that, don't you?" I thought I pissed her off, then.."It's just the tattoos you nympho, without them you're just a skinny white boy." She smirked up at me.

I found myself grinning back,"Ouch! Direct hit." I pressed the arm not around her, to my chest in mock hurt.

"So.." I said after a minute when we had calmed down from the laughing, which wasn't dong my ribs any favors,"you went to the show tonight?"

"Yep. My first Falling In Reverse show."

"I don't remember seeing you...?"

"First of all dude, it was sold out with tons of people, mostly girls dying for a piece of you," she teased. "Second of all, I was over on the side by Christian against the wall. So I would be very surprised if you did see me.  Though I did get some good video. You are all over that stage like a cheap slut though. I ended up just focusing on Christian and trying to get you in frame at the same time."

I was enjoying this verbal sparring,"I'm hurt, but then again not many can keep up with me."

She stuck her tongue out at me,"Nah, Christian is just better to look at."

"Uh huh. Whatever helps you sleep at night." I squeezed her shoulder.

We continued to talk for a little longer. I found out she was from almost 2 hours away. But came here a lot for shows. She had actually come to see our one opening band, who was local to the area and that she very much supported. She had never heard of us until that band announced the show. I pretended to be heartbroken at that announcement. But she said she had checked us out before the show, liked our music enough to stick around for our set, and had really enjoyed herself and the high energy.

That made me feel good, coming from her for some reason, that I was able to turn her into a fan - mainly from one show.

She had her brown eyes closed and would talk half asleep as the conversation wore on. Eventually we both drifted off from total exhaustion.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**_*Lynn*_ **

I woke up on a hard surface, to a distant ringing that was becoming annoying. I groaned as the mists of sleep cleared slowly. There was a vice around my shoulders that tightened with my movements. I also was pretty hot, what with the tangle of blankets I felt twisted around me and the vice on my shoulders.

I tried to wiggle free, then finally I heard a groan and the grip loosened. I stiffened at the groan and did a mental check. Yep, still have clothes on, but the hard surface was a colorful chest I could see as my blurry vision cleared and it was definitely not clothed.

Then memory came back, Ronnie...hurt...the trek back to my hotel.. _OMG I'm in bed with Ronnie from Falling In Reverse!_ I forced myself not to react outright. I had played it cool, though the new fan girl in me was freaking out last night and now this morning.

We had a great conversation last night. My suspicions were confirmed he is very intelligent, but hides it under an asshole persona. What I was going to do with him in a few hours when I had to check out, I didn't know. Hopefully someone will have replied to me.

I bolted upright, Ronnie's arm falling away from me as my phone finished ringing. I dived for it over his chest, but it was too late. It had went to voicemail.

"Damn!" I mumbled. Then when I heard his pained gasp, I realized I had landed almost full on top of him in my haste to reach the phone. I quickly shifted off. "Shit! Sorry Ronnie. I didn't mean to do that." I could feel my cheeks heating up.

"S'ok," he mumbled, holding his stomach.

Just then the phone started ringing again, I quickly swiped to answer, seeing the number was unknown. Normally I don't answer those, but it might be for Ronnie.

"Hello?"

I listened to the greeting and stabbed the end button. When I glanced at Ronnie, I saw his eyebrow raised in question.

"Telemarketer," I explained.

"Oh.." he sighed.

I looked at my phone again, to see the time was 9. We had slept a few hours, yet I felt wired. I guess Ronnie will do that to you. I smiled at that thought. I also realized I had slept in my concert attire, which was now beyond disgusting - between the sweat from the show, towing Ronnie back here, and then apparently he's even more of a furnace than I am, as I was sweaty once again from being cuddled with him.

I slid out of bed and grabbed my stuff from my bag. "I'm gonna just take a quick shower," I said to him as I fiddled with my phone and set the display time for 20 min. Then I handed it to him,"It won't lock until I come back, so if it rings go ahead and answer it if you see an unknown number."

He nodded, taking the phone from my hand. He was being unusually quiet, but then again it was an abrupt awakening. He probably wasn't a morning person. I normally wasn't either, but time was ticking away.

Usually I would take my time, but I didn't linger today. It was once I was out and wrapped in a towel, I realized I had forgotten my clothes. At home I just go air dry in my room, so habit follows me. Which would be fine if Ronnie wasn't in my damned bed.

Oh well, I must go in there. I squared my shoulders and speed walked to my bag, not meeting Ronnie's eyes. I was embarrassed. He so didn't need to see me like this, he's probably thinking the wrong thing.

I'm not a normal fan girl who wants in his pants. Ok, in fantasy land yes I do, but reality would never make that happen. I wouldn't want to be a one night..er morning..stand anyway, even if he was interested.

I all but ran back into the bathroom with my clothes to get dressed.

* * *

 

**_*Ronnie*_ **

I flicked on some random channel while I was waiting for Lynn to come back out. When the door opened, I glanced up from my watch of her phone, where I had been willing it to ring.

She didn't look at me as she pretty much ran for her bag. Then I realized she was in a towel, that was giving a hint of her leg as she moved. Her semi wet hair was trailing on her shoulders. Normally this wouldn't affect me, I had seen plenty of naked women. Ones arguably more pretty than her, but for some reason I started to get turned on. I shifted the blankets over my lap in case she noticed.

By the time I had these thoughts, she had dashed back into the bathroom. I smirked at her actions. She didn't seem the type of girl to tease, but it was still a nice mini show.

Right as the door closed behind her, her phone started to ring. Seeing an unknown caller, I answered it.

"Hello?"

"Ronnie?" Zakk's voice sounded surprised,"Is that you?"

I breathed a sigh of relief, I hadn't been sure if Lynn's idea to bombard all mine, my band's, and members' social media would work. "Hey Zakk. Thank fuck it's you."

"Are you ok man? We have been going nuts trying to find you. Where are you?" his voice was frantic.

"I'm ok, calm down. I'm not sure of the hotel. A fan found me in an alley a few blocks from the venue. Someone had attacked me. I'm in pretty bad shape."

"Really? I wonder how that happened," he half mumbled.

Lynn reappeared full dressed in pants and some band's shirt. Not mine. I was a bit disappointed for some reason. "Hey, where are we?" I asked her,"It's one of my friends on the phone."

She shuffled through some papers and handed her reservation page for the room to me. I read off the hotel's address.

After a minute of silence, where I heard Christian's voice in the background, then, "It'll take us about 45 min with traffic to get there. Hold tight dude." I assumed Christian had input the address in his Google maps.

"Ok, make sure 2 of you come up. I'm gonna need help walking."

There was a pause, then Zakk replied,"Wow, that bad huh? Ok Christian and I will come up. What room are you in?"

I relayed the question to Lynn, who was perched at my feet watching me and my side of the conversation. "222."

I told Zakk and then hung up, promising to explain the rest once we were in the bus.

I handed the phone back to her,"They'll be here in like 45 min. What time is your check out?"

"12. We have time, it's only 10:15," she glanced down at the phone for the time. Then she stood up and plugged it back in the charger on the nightstand. Instead of sitting back down, she started putting her things back in her overnight bag.

The silence felt different than last night, it was almost awkward. But I didn't tease her about the towel, like I normally would've. I just watched her out of the corner of my eye, pretending to concentrate on whatever show was on tv at this point.

When she was done, she seemed at a loss. I smiled, what I hoped was reassuringly, and patted the bed next to me,"Come on. We don't have too much longer."

This was like a replay of last night, her stiffly sliding on the other side and I stubbornly pulled her near me with my arm around her shoulder again. She relaxed after a minute and laughed. "I really thought last night was a dream."

I smirked,"I know, I am a dream."

She glanced up from her position on my shoulder,"There's the Ronnie we all know."

"And love," I completed the unfinished sentence, even though she wasn't meaning me to.

Her full lips turned up, begrudgingly. "And tolerate."

"If I wasn't injured, I'd teach you tolerate," I squeezed her shoulder.

I knew the clock was ticking and soon she would be gone from my life, but I couldn't bring myself to let go of her yet. I had no idea why, I felt this pull. I mentally shook myself. _Come on Radke, stop being a pussy._

Then all too soon, there was a knock on the door.  She slipped from my arms to answer it.

I heard familiar voices, then Christian and Zakk came into view, with Lynn following behind.

They both gasped at the sight of me. I must look even more colorful with all the bruises and patched up cuts.

I could see Lynn getting her shoes on and gathering her stuff. Once the initial shock was over, Lynn gave a brief overview of how she found me. The guys expressed their gratitude that she had helped me.

"No big deal." she half smiled, her eyes bouncing from them to me. "He wasn't too much of a pain in the ass."

That eased the tension, as they didn't know how to act around her. We decided we would all go down in the elevator as it was around the corner from the desk, she would checkout and while she was distracting the clerk, we would all sneak out down the side hall that was in slight view of the desk, but not directly. We didn't need any questions as I didn't have my shirt, since mine was pretty much destroyed.

Everything went off with a hitch, we made it outside where the car was parked a few spaces away. I felt a little better than last night and was able to hobble over to it with their help.

I leaned against it for a minute to catch my breath and Lynn appeared through the doors. Her car was parked across the lot and I watched her throw her stuff in the passenger seat. She looked over our way and was just about to get in the driver's side, when I blurted,"Hey Lynn! Come here a sec!"

She hesitated then made way over. The guys were giving me looks as they stood with the doors propped open, impatient to leave.

Once she was in front of me, I grabbed her to me in a bear hug, which she gasped in surprise. Then her arms circled by back, softly, so as not to hurt me any further. I didn't care, I held the fierce hug for a moment more, than kissed her cheek as I let her go. "Thank you. I appreciate all that you did for me. I'm glad we met."

She smiled,"You're welcome and me too. Though not in the way I expected." Then she reached up, gently pulling my head down and returned the kiss on my cheek. "You take care dude, stay out of trouble."

I laughed at that, she joined me. Us both knowing that wasn't in my nature. Then I slid in my seat and she walked back to her car. My last sight of her was a quick wave, before we passed her and drove out of her life.

\-----

**A/N - Hey guys, I didn't abandon this, just wasn't feeling the muse and I haven't had any feedback yet. There's more to this, we are far far from the end. Stick around for twists and turns. ;)**

 


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